CN107810129B

CN107810129B - Deformation element for a motor vehicle and motor vehicle having such a deformation element

Info

Publication number: CN107810129B
Application number: CN201680037109.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: O·阿基辅; G·菲希廷格; M·格雷尔; W·里德尔
Original assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
Current assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
Priority date: 2015-06-26
Filing date: 2016-06-20
Publication date: 2021-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 2036-06-20
Also published as: CN107810129A; US10369958B2; US20180118155A1; DE102015211979A1; WO2016207110A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a deformation element (1) for improving the safety of vehicle occupants and traffic participants in the event of a frontal collision, comprising a beam holder (5) for mounting on a beam (10) and a bumper plate (15) that can be positioned adjacent to a bumper (20) of a motor vehicle (110), characterized in that a centrifugally operated release device (42) is provided between the bumper plate (15) and the beam holder (5) for adjusting and fixing the distance (D) of the beam holder (5) from the bumper plate (15), wherein, starting from a normal position, the first distance (D1) of the beam holder (5) from the bumper plate (15) in a first position is greater than the distance (D2) in a second position.

Description

Deformation element for a motor vehicle and motor vehicle having such a deformation element

Technical Field

The invention relates to a deformation element for a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle having such a deformation element.

Background

In order to protect the occupants of a motor vehicle involved in a frontal collision of the motor vehicle and persons, in particular pedestrians, outside the motor vehicle involved in the accident, a series of measures are provided:

in the case of a so-called low-speed collision, in which a relatively high load of up to approximately 100kN acts at a relatively low speed of 4km/h to approximately 20km/h in the front region of the motor vehicle (for example in the form of a parking collision accident), provision is made for: this load is absorbed reversibly and as far as possible without damage by the deformation element in the vehicle.

For the implementation of a pedestrian protection function in the front region of a motor vehicle, provision is made for: the relatively low load, up to about 5kN, is absorbed by the deformation element arranged in the front region of the motor vehicle in a relatively high speed range of about 20km/h to 40 km/h.

For protection in the event of a low-speed collision and for pedestrian protection, DE 102011009943 a1 discloses an energy absorption system for mounting between a bumper and a transverse beam of a motor vehicle, in which soft and hard parts engage in one another and extend over the entire width of the motor vehicle. When using the known energy absorption system, a relatively large front overhang (this is the distance from the wheel center to the foremost point of the front cover) is produced, which is undesirable from an aesthetic point of view and additionally adversely affects the bevel angle of the respective motor vehicle.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

The object is achieved by a deformation element. The deformation element according to the invention comprises a cross-beam holder for mounting on a cross beam and a bumper plate which can be positioned adjacent to a motor vehicle bumper.

In addition, a centrifugally operated release device is provided between the bumper plate and the beam holder for adjusting and fixing the distance of the beam holder from the bumper plate, and from the normal position, the beam holder is at a first distance from the bumper plate in the first position which is greater than the distance in the second position. The first position is the position which the deformation element occupies in the event of a low-speed collision in which a relatively high load of up to 100kN acts at a relatively low speed of from 4km/h to about 20km/h, and the second position is the position which the deformation element occupies in the event of a pedestrian protection function in which the deformation element should absorb a relatively low impact energy of up to about 5kN load at a relatively high speed of from about 20km/h to about 40 km/h.

A reliable and precise load-related triggering of the deformation element can be achieved in an advantageous manner by means of the deformation element thus designed.

An advantageous embodiment of the deformation element according to the invention provides that the bumper plate is arranged on a centrifugally operated release device which is movably located in the displacement device, the displacement device being movable relative to a holding device which is fixed by means of the beam holder, the holding device and the displacement device comprising a common locking device which is designed to be selectively locked or released by the centrifugally operated release device, such that in a first position locking of the holding device and the displacement device is permitted and in a second position release of the holding device and the displacement device is permitted. This makes it possible to achieve a further optimized triggering and displacement of the deformation element according to the invention, which is dependent on the load situation.

A particularly simple design of the deformation element according to the invention is achieved in that: the centrifugally operated release device has a tappet or plunger, which is provided with a bumper plate on one end and at least one centrifugal force rod on the other end, which centrifugal force rod abuts against the release device when occupying the second position.

According to a further embodiment, the at least one centrifugal force rod has a restoring device, which advantageously simplifies the load-situation-dependent adjustability of the deformation element according to the invention.

In an advantageous embodiment of the deformation element according to the invention, the locking device is arranged in the displacement device and the retaining device in a resettable manner.

The object is also achieved by a motor vehicle comprising a cross member and a bumper, in which a deformation element of the type according to the invention described above is arranged. The above advantages apply accordingly.

According to the invention, a plurality of deformation elements according to the invention can be arranged in the transverse direction of the vehicle, so that a complete series of load situations or protective functions is achieved. The position of the deformation element, such as its arrangement parallel to the vertical axis of the vehicle, can be designed in principle freely with respect to the vehicle body and is limited only by the relevant load situation.

It is particularly advantageous if the deformation element, in particular fixed along the cross member, has at least in sections a centrifugally operated release device of different mass and/or size and/or return device, in particular a spring of different spring constant. This makes it possible to adjust the deformation element in a simple manner as a function of position to different load situations.

The above-described features of the present invention may be combined with each other as long as possible, even if not explicitly stated above.

Drawings

The following is a brief description of the drawings that accompany the present invention.

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a deformation element according to the invention in a normal position;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the deformation element shown in FIG. 1;

figure 3 is a side view of a deformation element according to the invention in a first position occupied in a low-speed collision;

fig. 4 is a side view of a deformation element according to the invention in a second position occupied in the pedestrian protection function;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of a deformation element according to the present invention in a normal position;

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the deformation element shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the alternative deforming member shown in FIG. 6 in a first position occupied upon a low-speed collision;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the alternative deformation element shown in FIG. 6 in a second position occupied while in pedestrian protection function;

fig. 9 is a partial top view of a motor vehicle according to the invention with a plurality of deformation elements according to the invention.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the invention are described in detail, but not with the aid of anticipatory, in particular non-limiting, figures 1 to 9. Unless otherwise indicated, like elements have like reference numerals.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a deformation element 1 according to the invention, having a beam holder 5 for mounting on a beam 10 and having a bumper plate 15 opposite the beam holder, which can be positioned adjacent to or connected to a bumper 20. The cross member holder 5 can be fastened to the cross member 10 in a manner known per se by means of fastening elements (e.g. screws) not shown here.

A holding device 25, in which a displacement device 30 is displaceably accommodated, is fastened to the beam holder 5. The bumper plate 15 itself is also movably supported in the displacement device 30. The distance which exists between the beam holder 5 and the bumper plate 15 is D in the normal position shown here, i.e. in the absence of any accident.

The deformation element 1 shown in fig. 1 is shown again in a side sectional view in fig. 2. The bumper plate 15 is guided movably in the displacement device 30 by means of a piston 35 known per se. In the embodiment shown here, the piston 35 has a centrifugally operated release device 42 on its end spaced from the bumper plate 15. The release device comprises two centrifugal levers 45 which are arranged so as to be rotatable about the respective axis of rotation 40 and which are oriented at an angle γ relative to the x-y plane of a cartesian coordinate system for the vehicle by means of a resetting device 50 which is denoted here by a symbol. The restoring device 50 can be a spring, which is in particular configured as a torsion spring or an extension spring acting about the axis of rotation 40. The restoring means 50, which are embodied as tension springs, are held on the one side at a distance from the respective axis of rotation 40 on the respective centrifugal rod 45 and on the other side on the right-hand end of the piston 35 shown in fig. 2. It should be noted that by means of the resetting device 50, in particular by means of its spring constant, not only the resetting of the centrifugally operated release device 42, but also its triggering can be adjusted.

In the normal position, the displacement of the displacement device 30 in the retaining device 25 is locked by two locking devices 55 in the present exemplary embodiment. The locking device 55 is mounted displaceably in a corresponding opening 60 of the displacement device 30 or in an opening 65 of the holding device 25, respectively. Each locking device 55 is provided with an impact ramp 70, against which the respective end of the respective centrifugal lever 45 remote from the axis of rotation 40 can bear.

Starting from the normal position of the deformation element 1 according to the invention shown in fig. 1 and 2, the deformation element assumes the first position shown in fig. 3 in the event of a low-speed crash. Loads of up to 100kN which are relatively high in the event of a low-speed collision act at relatively low speeds of from 4km/h to about 20 km/h.

Under such load, the piston 35 sinks into the displacement device 30, the angle γ remaining substantially constant on the basis of inertia. The two centrifugal force levers 45 are therefore not moved in the z direction in such a way that they will impinge on the respective impact ramp 70. Thus, the locking device 55 remains in its position and the bumper plate 15 is only moved to a position where it is in contact with the moving device 30. The distance D1 occurring between the bumper plate 15 and the beam retainer 5 is smaller than the distance D in the normal position.

Fig. 4 shows a side view of a deformation element 1 according to the invention in a second position, which it occupies in the case of a pedestrian protection function. For the purpose of pedestrian protection, the deformation element according to the invention should absorb a relatively low impact energy up to a load of about 5kN at a relatively high speed of about 20km/h to 40 km/h.

Due to the relatively high acceleration occurring in this load situation, the piston 35 not only sinks into the displacement device 30, but the centrifugal force rod 45 opens in the z direction on account of the centrifugal force (i.e. the upper centrifugal force rod 45 shown in fig. 4 moves in the z direction, whereas the lower centrifugal force rod 45 shown in this figure moves against the z direction). As can be seen from fig. 4, this results in a contact between the end of the centrifugal lever 45 remote from its respective axis of rotation 40 and the respective impact ramp 70 and thus in a movement of the locking device 55 in the z direction. In this case, the opening 60 is released, so that not only the bumper plate 15 but also the moving device 30 moves rightward in the drawing.

This process allows: in the second position, which represents a pedestrian protection function, the distance D is reduced to a maximum of the distance D2 of the bumper plate 15 from the beam retainer 5. As can be seen in fig. 4, distance D2 may be less than distance D1, while distance D1 itself is less than distance D and greater than distance D2.

Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the deformation element 1 according to the invention in the normal position in an isometric view. In this variant, the displacement device 30 has a top 75 and a bottom 80 which have slots 85 extending in the longitudinal direction of the displacement device 30, so that the respective section of the top 75 or bottom 80 of the displacement device 30 adjacent to the beam holder 5 can be tilted relative to the end adjacent to the bumper plate 15 about the x-y plane.

The deformation element 1 shown in fig. 5 is again shown in a side sectional view in fig. 6. Although the centrifugally operated release means 42 in this embodiment corresponds to the above-described embodiment, the locking means 55 of the two embodiments differ. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the locking device 55 is located in a holding means 90, which is prevented from moving in the x-direction and the z-direction by means of a

respective stop

95 or 100. The locking device 55 is applied to the displacement device 30 by means of an application section 57 which passes through an opening 65 of the holding device 25. In the exemplary embodiment shown with reference to fig. 1 to 4, the displacement device 30 can be lowered into the holding device 25, whereas the displacement device 30 shown in fig. 6 can be displaced over the holding device 25 until it comes to bear against the stop 115. This is the case as shown in fig. 7, i.e. the alternative deformation element 1 assumes a low-speed impact position in which the bumper plate 15 abuts against the displacement device 30. The acceleration of the centrifugally operated release means 42 in this case is not large enough to overcome the inertia of the centrifugal lever 45 and open it in the z-direction in order to trigger the locking means 55.

The latter, as described above, however, takes place in the case of the pedestrian protection function according to fig. 8. In this case, the centrifugal lever 45 strikes the impact ramp 70 in such a way that the locking device 55 lifts the top part 75 or the bottom part 80 beyond the stop 115. This procedure allows the distance D of the bumper plate 15 from the beam holder 5 in the normal position to be reduced to the maximum distance D2; here, distance D2 is also less than distance D1, while distance D1 is itself less than distance D and greater than distance D2.

Fig. 9 shows a schematic plan view of a front region of a motor vehicle 110 according to the invention, to which a transverse beam 10 is fastened by means of a bracket 115. According to the normal position shown here, the bumper 20 is the element that projects furthest in the main travel direction F of the motor vehicle 110. In the embodiment shown here, four deformation elements 1 according to the invention are distributed over the length of the cross beam 10 in the transverse direction Q. The respective properties of these deformation elements 1, in particular their respective distances D, D1 and D2 and the conditions for reaching said distances D, D1 and D2, are set for each individual deformation element 1 as a function of position and load situation. For this purpose, it can be provided, for example, that each individual deformation element 1 and/or a group of deformation elements has/have a different mass and/or size and/or a centrifugally operated release device 42 of the restoring device. Depending on the accident situation, the distance D of the individual deformation elements is desirably reduced in a different or identical manner.

List of reference numerals

1 deformation element

5 Cross-member holder

10 crossbeam

15 Bumper plate

20 Bumper

25 holding device

30 moving device

35 piston

40 axis of rotation

42 centrifugal force operated release device

45 centrifugal force rod

50 resetting device

55 locking device

57 abutting section

60 opening

65 opening

70 collision ramp

75 top part

80 bottom

85 slot

90 holding device

95 stop

100 stop

115 stop

D. Distance D1, D2

F main direction of travel

Q vehicle lateral direction

Angle of gamma

Cartesian coordinate systems of x, y, z for a vehicle

Claims

1. Deformation element (1) comprising a beam holder (5) for mounting to a beam (10) and a bumper plate (15) positionable adjacent to a bumper (20) of a motor vehicle (110), characterized in that a centrifugally operated release device (42) is provided between the bumper plate (15) and the beam holder (5) for adjusting and fixing the distance (D) of the beam holder (5) from the bumper plate (15), wherein, from a normal position, a first distance (D1) of the beam holder (5) from the bumper plate (15) in a first position is greater than a distance (D2) in a second position, the first position being a position which the deformation element occupies in a low-speed crash situation in which a relatively high load of up to 100kN acts at a relatively low speed of 4km/h to about 20km/h, the second position is the position which the deformation element occupies in the case of a pedestrian protection function, in which the deformation element is to absorb a relatively low impact energy up to a load of approximately 5kN at a relatively high speed of approximately 20km/h to 40 km/h.

2. Deformation element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the bumper plate (15) is arranged on a centrifugally operated release device (42) which is movably located in the displacement device (30) which is movable relative to a holding device (25) which is fixed by means of the beam holder (5), the holding device (25) and the displacement device (30) having a common locking device (55) which is configured to be selectively lockable or releasable by the centrifugally operated release device (42) in such a way that in a first position locking of the holding device (25) and the displacement device (30) is allowed and in a second position release of the holding device (25) and the displacement device (30) is allowed.

3. Deformation element (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the centrifugally operated release device (42) has a piston (35) which is provided with the bumper plate (15) on one end and at least one centrifugal force rod (45) on the other end, which centrifugal force rod, when occupying the second position, bears against the release device (42).

4. Deformation element (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one centrifugal rod (45) has a return means (50).

5. Deformation element (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the locking means (55) are resettable in the displacement means (30) and the retaining means (25).

6. Motor vehicle (110) comprising a cross-member (10) and a bumper (20), characterized in that at least one deformation element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5 is provided.

7. Motor vehicle (110) according to claim 6, characterized in that a plurality of deformation elements (1) are provided in the vehicle transverse direction (Q), the centrifugally operated release devices (42) of which have different masses and/or dimensions and/or return devices (50).